Sponsored Circular Cycle in aid of BrAMS

3 day Bike Ride 28th – 30th July

Etta and Ran Morrison’s 3 day Bike Ride took a team of 29 riders from Severn Ways Services on the old Severn Bridge, up to Gloucester, where they stayed at the Community Fire Station in Quedgeley, through the Forest of Dean and back to Severn Ways, raising over a fantastic £3,000!

Thanks to ALL who took part and to their support people. The funds they raised are specifically for research into Primary Progressive MS.

Day 1 Tues. 28th July 8am. Severn View Services
‘What was the weather forecast?’ Was the cry on everyone’s lips. Gale warnings for the Forest of Dean on 29th (day 2). So we set off in lovely sunshine - not too hot, some cloud cover, perfect cycling conditions.  What did we care for forecasts? We were a mixed bag of cyclists some very fit and very competitive, others determined.  Our first break was Ham where we all arrived ahead of schedule and before our refreshment van!  Some enthusiastic cyclists missed the stop altogether!

We had one bike casualty in the form of a broken chain – no punctures!  Rebecca had to borrow the spare bike while hers was being fixed in our mobile bike hospital!
Our van did come, after not too long a wait, and we were all suitably refreshed. We met up with everyone at Frampton-on-Severn for lunch.

Clouds were beginning to gather and some cyclists decided to head off before the downpour – others decided upon another pint at The Bell Inn, Frampton-on-Severn while waiting for the rain to stop!
The main body of cyclists all regrouped at the Coots Café bar, Gloucester docks, for cream tea and cakes. (One of the best things about cycling is the amount of food you need to eat!) We then headed off, together, to find our nights accommodation in the form of the Community Fire Station!

Day 2 Wed. 29th July 8am. Gloucester Community Fire Station
After a wonderful evening being fed and watered in the Fire Station Clubhouse, we awoke to continuous rainfall and a night spent on the conference room floor of the Fire Station.  Some of us can sleep anywhere and are used to loud snoring – others found the idea of getting on a bike again in the pouring rain with very little sleep a challenge!  Still everyone did get on again, and having instilled in everyone that it would be a good idea to stick together for the first part of the ride, we managed not to loose anyone before breakfast at Highnam.  The only bike casualty of the day was Clare’s, with a puncture. It was soon fixed, and then she had another, then another – nine in all!  It turned out to be a small snag in her outer tyre, and she had to go off in the support van in search of new outer rims. The rain was relentless.  Our drinks break was like a fuel stop.  Energy drinks and meusli bars were downed quickly – we had to keep moving to keep warm.

Ran (driving our route marker and drinks break vehicle) took pity on our cold and bedraggled state and asked the nearest pub, The Belfry Hotel in Littledean, if they minded 28 dripping cyclists coming in for warm drinks and toilet break.  Never before had coffee and brandy made such a difference! 
Still no change in the weather.

By lunch everyone had had enough. So instead of a leisurely picnic by a beautiful lake in the Forest of Dean, it was a quick bite and a dash on to the Fountain Inn for hot showers and an afternoon warming our cockles by the bar! 
We all felt we thoroughly deserved our evening meal. 

Day 3 Thurs. 30th July 10am. The Fountain Inn, Parkend.

After a ‘full English’ and a good nights sleep we were back on our bikes again! Black clouds loomed and we set off, following our little white flags, fearing the worst. But a bit of a climb up, and it felt like we had burst through the clouds to glorious sunshine. The views across the Severn estuary and back towards the Forest were wonderful. We coasted down into Chepstow for our drink break, then all gathered together, along with a BrAMS collection tin, to cycle through the town and over the Severn Bridge. A small glass of bubbly stuff greeted us at Severn View Services after an elongated photo shoot on the bridge – which was looking particularly picturesque in the sunshine! So a big thank you to all who took part (and suffered all those bumps, bruises, wasp stings and getting lost!) because our total so far is a fantastic £3,900.00 with lots more to come!

Our Cyclists were: Etta Morrison, Rebecca Morrison, Tim Stagg, Peter Barrie, Mary Tobin, Ian Lawrence, Iain Galt, Erin Loomis, Malcolm Galt, Julie Redman, Mark Stainer, Jay Redman-Stainer, Clare Gardner, Marisa Cockfield, Bernard Cockfield, Laura Phillips, Robin Sloan, Richard Lawrence, Natasha Morrison, Sophie Collins Walters, Jenny Steinitz, Ben Grant, Iain Grant, Fiona Hoare, Carley Sitwell, Joanna Morrison, Tricia Kineir, Danielle Burrows, Eric Anderson.

Our Road Crew were: Rod Collier, Ran Morrison, Sarah Lawrence, Ally Morrison, Tania Morrison.                                            

Our Caterers were: Allison Morrison, Inara Morrison, Emma Galt

With extra support from Mavis Dunrossil, Catriona Galt and Helen Barrie.

And special thanks goes to Ron Stagg, Signs Express and Black Boy Hill Cycles for their donations of food bars, energy drinks, water, our BrAMS cycling tabards, vehicle ‘Caution cyclist’ signs and cycling helmets.